Praying to Guardian Angels

[MrPolo]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

 

[WashedClean]

There is no evidence that angels can hear our prayers. I think the better solution would be to ask God to send angels around us to help, protect, minister, etc. to us when we need them.

 

[MrPolo]

There is no evidence that angels can hear our prayers. I think the better solution would be to ask God to send angels around us to help, protect, minister, etc. to us when we need them.

That is a fine thing to do too. But we are told in Scripture they watch over us in everything. Why would that exclude them being able to hear what we say?

 

[k2svpete]

I refer you to a little example we were given, it goes like this -

Our Father who is in heaven, holy is your name.
Your Kindom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven etc.

We pray to God, through Jesus Christ as our high priest. That's it. Praying to anything else sets you up for idolatry and false gods.

 

[GuardianShua]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

Yahshua directed us to pray to the Father only. Praying to messengers could lead to messenger worship. Go to your source, the Holy Father.

 

[MrPolo]

Regarding the last two posts. In this context of "praying" to angels, what is meant is to ask them for intercession, the same way Paul asked other members of Christ's body in Romans 15:30 and in 2nd Thessalonians 3:1.

So now we can continue without accusations of deifying anyone other than God.

Who else would like to address the 1st post as it is worded?

 

[E.C.]

We ask people to pray for us and to protect us when it is needed, no?

Why should an angel be any different? They do ask God commands, He loves mankind. Who is to say that He does not command the angels to look after us?

Didn't one of the angels in the Bible, somewhere, look after His people?

 

[Rois]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

When I was young, my grandma used to pray to our guardian angels with my sister and I at night. There's a little prayer for it, nothing wrong with it at all.

 

[Jpark]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

Well MrPolo,

Angels never came for the man. Angels came to the man. They are ministering spirits, messengers of God. They came to the man to deliver a message of the Lord. Angels do not receive worship. Your prayers must be directed to the Spirit of God, who is the directive of the angels. However, in whatever way you believe is sufficient, you can pray to God to send angels. (Matthew 26:53)

 

[MrPolo]

Well MrPolo,

Angels never came for the man. Angels came to the man. They are ministering spirits, messengers of God. They came to the man to deliver a message of the Lord. Angels do not receive worship. Your prayers must be directed to the Spirit of God, who is the directive of the angels. However, in whatever way you believe is sufficient, you can pray to God to send angels. (Matthew 26:53)

No one said to give them worship. See post #6.

 

[rnmomof7]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

Is there any scripture that supports that ?

 

[MrPolo]

Is there any scripture that supports that ?

I'm asking you, based on the Scriptures quoted, if guardian angels watch over you, can you ask them* to pray for you?

*(as you would another member of Christ's body...see also post #6 for Scripture references)

 

[DArceri]

I'm asking you, based on the Scriptures quoted, if guardian angels watch over you, can you ask them* to pray for you?

*(as you would another member of Christ's body...see also post #6 for Scripture references)

Hey Polo,
This is an 'IF and WHY CAN'T' question. Why go with an 'IF' and a 'WHY CAN'T'? Combining these words can lead to potentially balsphemous practices (OR DOCTRINES). Good intentions don't always lead to good results. My suggestion to you would be to follow the examples laid out by the Prophets and Apostles (and Jesus), ie. pray to God directly. Scripture always reveals to us patterns on how godly people are to behave or act. Why rely on potentially blasephemous assumptions if we have godly men of scripture to pattern after...BTW, can you even show me one single verse in all of scripture that shows someone praying to an angel?

 

[Esta2220]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

That doesn't mean they pray for us, either on their own, or by us praying to them and thus praying to God. It doesn't mention either.

They are in the presence of God for Him to direct the angels to help us. Nothing about it the other way around.

That is all I see from those verses.

Yahshua directed us to pray to the Father only. Praying to messengers could lead to messenger worship. Go to your source, the Holy Father.

Very true that we are only taught to pray to the Father. I think if Jesus thought it good for us to know how to pray best with this, then He would of also taught us ask the angels to pray for us afterwards, if it were possible or beneficial. But He does not.

But it isn't forbidden anywhere either, not that I have ever seen anyways.
Angel worship? I doubt most people would do that.


They are messengers TO us, it doesn't say anywhere they are messengers FROM us to the Father. Even Revelation 8:3-4 which is often used doesn't mean that the prayers were prayed to angels or saints frist, and then presented to God. At first value it doesn't say that nor imply that. IMO

Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.


Is it okay to ask angels to pray for us? In Scripture there is no mention that this can or should be done. We are only taught one way to pray.
To the Father, in Jesus' Name, by the Holy Spirit.


I do what Jesus taught and just pray to the Father in His Name,
I will play it safe and let the angels do the job that is told in Scripture, not what I think they can do for us.

 

[simonthezealot]

Psalm 91:11 For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways.

Matt..18:10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
​

So is there anything wrong with asking your guardian angel to pray for you, since they are aware of all you do?

They are a messenger of/from God a worker of/from God... Not of/from us.

 

[Esta2220]

I have a question to someone that asks an angel to pray to God for them, when was this considered a geneal practice to do? Or first recorded, like in an EFC writting etc ?

That is to a Catholic or an Orthodox since those are the two with extensive ( I think extensive anyways) beliefs about it?

Thanks in advance, this subject has been on my mind all night and morning, and since I don't see it in Scripture, I would like to know when this practice (post Scripture) starts taking place or becomes the norm to some extent.

 

[seashale76]

The Church's Belief in Guardian Angels:http://antiochian.org/node/18443



And, this is the one of the prayers from the Red Prayer Book (Antiochian) that I use the most:

A PRAYER TO YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL
O Angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me everything wherein I have offended thee every day of my life, and protect me from all influence and temptation of the evil one. May I nevermore anger God by any sin. Pray for me to the Lord, that He may make me worthy of the grace of the All-holy Trinity, and of the Most Blessed Theotokos, and of all the Saints. Amen.

 

[Esta2220]

Thank you seashale

 

[DArceri]

The Church's Belief in Guardian Angels:http://antiochian.org/node/18443



And, this is the one of the prayers from the Red Prayer Book (Antiochian) that I use the most:

A PRAYER TO YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL
O Angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me everything wherein I have offended thee every day of my life, and protect me from all influence and temptation of the evil one. May I nevermore anger God by any sin. Pray for me to the Lord, that He may make me worthy of the grace of the All-holy Trinity, and of the Most Blessed Theotokos, and of all the Saints. Amen.

This prayer is not only asking an angel to forgive sin, but also to protect. First of all, angels can't forgive you of your sins, and second, angels protect you by God's own will, not the angels will. Plus the angels are not protectors of your soul, God is. One should ALWAYS pray to God for forgiveness AND for protection. Give God the glory that is due Him alone!!!!! Does this prayer bother anyone else?

 

[seashale76]

This prayer is not only asking an angel to forgive sin, but also to protect. First of all, angels can't forgive you of your sins, and second, angels protect you by God's own will, not the angels will. Plus the angels are not protectors of your soul, God is. One should ALWAYS pray to God for forgiveness AND for protection. Give God the glory that is due Him alone!!!!! Does this prayer bother anyone else?

I pray thee good sir, to hearken unto my post.

There are around six different Greek words that are usually translated into English as 'prayer'. These words encompass supplications, interecessions, thanksgiving, etc. Prayer to the saints (and angels) IS NOT WORSHIP! Perhaps this misconception came about from bad translation? At any rate, I Timothy 2:4 upholds the practice of intercession for others, and we are quite cognizant of the fact that Christ's mediation is what makes intercession possible.

Anyone can forgive others who have offended them. All Christians have a guardian angel, by God's will.

Your entire post is a straw man. We DO go directly to the Holy Trinity in prayer and worship Him alone. However, the next time someone at your church, or wherever, asks you to pray for them, I wonder if you would simply tell them to only go to Christ and not bother you with the task of praying for them?

BTW, do you pray to the Holy Trinity, or simply in Jesus' name only? Here is a prayer you should look into using. It is a blessing to every Orthodox Christian and is a key part of our daily prayers.

The Trisagion Prayers
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.



O heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O gracious Lord.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (Thrice)



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.



All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name's sake.



Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)



Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.



Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.